Axion-induced Casimir force between nuclei and dynamical axion pair creation

TL;DR

This paper investigates how axions interact with nuclei, leading to a Casimir-like force and the potential creation of entangled axion pairs through dynamical effects, linking QCD properties with observable phenomena.

Contribution

It combines QCD insights with axion physics to predict a novel Casimir-like force between nuclei and proposes a mechanism for axion pair creation via the dynamical Casimir effect.

Findings

Predicted a finite axion-nucleon scattering cross section.

Identified a Casimir-type attraction between nuclei due to axion interactions.

Suggested a method for entangled axion pair creation via accelerated nuclei.

Abstract

We study the interaction between axions and nuclei by combining the Peccei-Quinn mechanism with results from quantum chromo-dynamics (QCD) which imply that the QCD condensates are reduced within nuclear matter. Thus, the effective axion mass is also reduced, yielding a finite axion-nucleon scattering cross section. Even in the absence of real axions, this interaction would manifest itself in a Casimir type attraction between two nuclei. Finally, accelerated nuclei can create entangled pairs of axions via the dynamical Casimir effect (or as signatures of the Unruh effect).